Raging Dragon
by Chaosrunepownage
Summary: AU where Iris' death has more serious consequences. Takes place during X4. I do not own the characters.


Raging Dragon

"Why… WHY? Just as I was FINALLY happy! As I thought I was more than a weapon of war!"

Overcome by rage by having to slay the one thing he'd ever cared deeply about, the crimson hunter roars. He looks down at the bloodied corpse, enraged. Then something strange happens.

"Commander, get over here now! Something's happening to Zero!"

"What?"

"I'm detecting huge amounts of energy, even for Zero. I've lost visual contact, and all audio contact is only roars."

"Try to get visual contact; we need to know what's going on and soon!"

"I'll try…"

The beast charged into the next room for the showdown with Sigma. Even the former commander shed an anime sweat drop at what had just busted down the door, or more accurately, wall. There stood a European-style dragon with dark red scales, skull helmet, five-fingered dark grey and black wings, lots of teeth, long claws silvery and golden armor and bright red crystals. Not only did rage unleash the famed Red Demon, destroyer of everything in their way, but it transformed them into the nightmarish dragon that all nightmarish dragons wish they could be. The raging dragon roars loud enough to deafen the Maverick leader, soon followed by a breath of purple flames. One rage-filled swipe later and Sigma is toast. Just for good measure, the dragon repeatedly stomps and breathes dark flames on the corpse. Vengeance has been dealt, but the monster longed for more destruction. It whipped its bone tail around and sliced at everything in the Final Weapon before teleporting back to Earth for more demolition.

"Commander, we've re-established visual contact but you probably won't like what you see…"

"What on Earth has happened?"

"I don't know! Zero's suddenly become a rampant dragon through the streets of New York."

"And I thought dragons were only fairy tales… Any sign of weakening?"

"Negative. If anything, the dragon strengthens with each demolished building. The police are completely useless against its rage and military support is an hour away."

"Let's hope that this thirty-foot dragon calms down soon…"

Unfortunately, the dragon did not calm down. Rage added to the hunter's natural killer instinct, and even the most advanced weapons did not make a dent in the rampaging dragon. Nor did water contain the damage to a single continent. With its wings of darkness, the dragon flew to every corner of the globe. X couldn't stand it any more. The azure Reploid was utterly puzzled how and why his best friend would do this much damage. Maybe it was that 1% that could never be analyzed by data…

"If anyone can end this, it has to be me."

"Don't go X! You'll be destroyed in seconds!"

"I know Zero better than anyone here. If anyone can get though, it's me. I can't let innocent people die!"

X rushed off to the large island now under siege by the dark red dragon. Everywhere he looked were corpses, demolished buildings and purple fire. Then the bone tail stuck out from the blazing trees and he ran in. Someone has to stop the dragon's rampage.

"Zero! What are you doing?"

"RUAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

"Calm down please! For me, your friend!"

"RAAAAAAAAH!"

With an effortless flick of a giant wrist, the azure hunter was flung off into the distance, badly damaged. The monster then charged onto the next island.

"Commander, we've lost vital signs from X."

"It's the end of the world that humans are so obsessed with now isn't it?"

"I guess so."

Soon the whole world was ablaze with purple fire, everywhere but one small island of cats was completely destroyed. The dragon, spotting more land to torch, landed on the island of cats. Just as suddenly the rage had taken over; it left, leaving a very tired and confused crimson hunter on the small tropical island of cats. Collapsing from exhaustion, the hunter was carried off by the stronger cats away from the hot beach into the cool shade of the jungle. The cats could sense that this creature is in a lot of pain, both mental and physical.

-Translated for convenience-

"What is this thing?"

"It's the prophecy, Fishnose. The rampant dragon."

"It doesn't seem that angry now, just depressed and confused."

"Well it was both a dragon and enraged seconds ago so this must be the prophecy fulfilling."

"No more of Dra'Kerth's children and their loyal slaves?"

"Yes, but at the cost of no more life beyond this island."

"Few things are too high a cost to rid this world and universe of those demon-children."

"Show respect! Even if they were blind creatures of the Death Demon, they still lived!"

-End of cat-speech-

Days later, sapphire eyes opened again to see the serene jungle and beach beyond. Cats were also all around.

"What…? Cats? Tropical island? What's going on here?"

"Mew."

"Urg… Too painful to walk yet…"

"Meow, mew."

"So there are ten cats around me. Wonderful."

"Purrrrr…"

"Hm? Purring? What did I ever do for these cats?"

"Purrrr…"

"At least there's still someone out there that seems to like me…"

Then it began to come back. The spilled blood of a lover. The rage that assumed total control and the destructive power that came with it. The slaying of the one Reploid who always trusted in him. All of the pain. All at once. Overwhelming, even with ten cats sitting nearby or on the blonde.

"How could you possibly purr with what I've done?"

"Purrrrr…."

"No seriously, how? Because I'd love to know how all of you adorable cats can be so happy right now!"

"Mew. Purrrrr…"

Sighing, the mighty hunter began to sob. Even the strongest fighter ever created could not come to terms with how much damage that he'd done. The cats tried all that they could to help, but even the most soothing purr could not give any results. The world of the humans had just ended. With it ended all wars, poverty and injustice. World peace had come at the cost of the total extermination of the world besides these ten cats and their tropical island.

"The fact that makes this all worse… Both of them wanted peace, and were forced to fight. There they met their ends at these talons."

_Cheer up "hero", you've always got me, the true you, the Zero virus._

"Grr… The last thing I need is a snarky virus on top of that."

_Hehe! Like shooting fish in a barrel!_


End file.
